Politicking Hip-Hop

From left, Free Flowin, DJ H2O, Cuttz, Latin and Decora


Smooth-talking students renovate the community with spoken word.

Turnout for the "Politics of Hip-Hop,” an open forum discussing the state of hip-hop culture held at SUNY New Paltz, was predominantly comprised of women, some as young as 16-years-old.

Profanity-free, the poetry and music speak out against the disrespect of women – factors that set it apart from the recent mainstream counter image of hip hop.

"We're just as hard as the dudes and we can rock on the same stage," said Free Flowin, a 23-year-old spoken-word artist and member of the RedNex Poetry Squad. One of the organizers of the event, she represented the “female perspective” on a panel of scholars and artists invited to share their opinions of hip-hop. “You don't need g-strings and stilettos in the back of a video,” she said.

"We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I know it's going
to be positive and each one of us will be able to say ‘I did something
good'."

The "Politics of Hip-Hop" is one of many community-serving initiatives led by spoken-word group the ReadNex Poetry Squad. Five young artists – Cuttz, Free Flowin, Decora, Latin Translator and DJ H2O – have made it their mission to renovate the image of Hip Hop and support the community with their gift of gab.

ReadNex Poetry Squad began their crusade while students at Orange County Community College. Already active in the community, they focused their energy into the poetry group that they called ReadNex because they were the next poets to be read.

"We left off the ‘t’ because it would take time for you to hear about us," explained Latin Translator, 24, a senior at SUNY New Paltz with a major in psychology and minors in women’s and Caribbean studies.

The "Politics of Hip-Hop," like most of their “campaigns,” included spoken word performances and music spun by 22-year-old H2O, a computer science student who's been spinning professionally since the age of 15.

Profanity-free, the poetry and music speak out against the disrespect of women – factors that set it apart from the recent mainstream counter image of hip-hop associated with the genre.

In addition to just getting "read" about, the group's work is being studied in college classrooms.
Professor Margaret Wade-Lewis, chair of Black studies and director of linguistics at SUNY New Paltz, analyzes the ReadNex Poetry Squad's CDs with her "Rap and Spoken Word" class.

"It is very politically aware subject matter," said Wade-Lewis. "They are consciously attempting to put their material in a format where young people will hear it and enjoy it and yet they clearly have messages that are intended to help make young people more politically aware and also aware to their responsibility to society.”

Professor Wade-Lewis also complimented the quality of the musical accompaniment, the diversity of the group and the poetic ability of the performers.

"It's rap, it's spoken word, it's African influence it's Latino, and there is a woman in the group," she said. "They have an awareness on many levels that translates into their presentation."

"Each of us puts it into our own perspective," said Latin. "This allows us to reach many people in different ways."

For their latest album "Social ISsUe," the group interviewed 100 people from various backgrounds to find out what cultural topics they found most pressing. The results are reflected in the content of the songs that focus on topics like gentrification, sexism and racism. The album that, according to the group’s Myspace, sold 200 copies in the first week of its release, is described by Free as a “plastic package with a universal message.”

"It's for a music lover," said Free. "It's not just poetry."

The title is spelled out to pronounce this universal message. “Social ISsUe” is pronounced “Social Is-You,” meaning change begins with yourself.

On top of performing and organizing "campaigns" like the "Politics of Hip-Hop,” the group members run after-school poetry programs in Kingston and Newburgh, feed the homeless and help victims of Katrina.

With their 2007 London tour, “Bridging the Gap,” ReadNex Poetry Squad raised funds to buy books for a Nigerian school.

"It's good for people to see what we're doing," said Cuttz. “They can do this."

Cuttz, a New Paltz senior, came to N.Y. from Columbia when he was 6-years-old and uses both English and Spanish in his performances. He is writing a play “in verse” while DJ H20 and Free run a radio show on WBNBD. Free also works with an anti-gentrification program in Brooklyn.

Decora, a 24-year-old sociology student who lives in Newburgh but says "my home is Hip Hop," will accompany the Universal Zulu Nation to a Pan-African Conference in Venezuela.

How does the group manage to juggle so many events on top of school?

“We’re learning to sleep with our eyes open,” Cuttz said.

"It's a family network," Latin said. "Each one of us keeps us going."

The ReadNex Poetry Squad's performances include the "Speak and Dance Tour," which are "open mics" followed by dance parties reminiscent of the community block and house parties of hip-hop's past. H20 will spin a mix of Latino, funk, soul, house, and old school hip-hop for the party.

"We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I know it's going to be positive and each one of us will be able to say ‘I did something good,’" Latin said.

The group credits their producer, Charles Graham of Volume 8 Musik, for their success. Their tour in 2008, "Frontlines of Hip-Hop," will travel nationwide and visit 43 cities. Events can be found at www.myspace.com/readnex.